Motor vehicle



D H. BRADLEY Dec. 22 1925- MOTOR VEHI CLE Fi1ed-De,. 28, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y Dec' 22. 1925.

D. H. BRADLEY MOTOR VEHI CLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1921 Patented Dec. 22, 192.5.

UNITED .i

PATENT ',OFEIC'E.

DUEBIN II.l BRADLEY, oEsUNNYvALE, CALIFORNIA.

MOTOR VEHICLE. j

Application filed December 28, 1921. Serial No. 525,313. l

T0 all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, DUHBIN I-I. BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Sunnyvale, county of Santa Clara, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Motor Vehicle, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements inmotor vehicles and has particular reference to means for steering and driving a plurality of. vehicle axles directly, in such a manner that each axle is steered by the preceding axle so that its wheels substantially follow the track of the wheels of the preceding axle and that all the axles receive rotary motion directly from a longitudinal shaft extendingv throughout the axle train.

In this invention I utilize certain novel ideas disclosed in two co-pending applicacation Serial No. 511,141, allows of an ar'- rangement of the axles in such a manner that all the vehicle wheels substantially follow the samev track and the use of the universal joint allows of a ydirect connection between all of the axles so that by the use of proper gears all of the axles may loe driven directly from one longitudinal shaft rotated by means of the power plant. Means are also vprovided allowing the power plant to be carried as a separate unit on its own spring and axle so that the power plant supporting means are in no way subjected to the straincaused by the load. Particular means areprovided by which the rearmost axle can be set so as to assume a certain position relative to the preceding axle, which in combination with my vcoupling previously referred to will cause all the axles to trail the rearmost axle on a reverse motion. Other advantages will appear as the description proceeds. p

I/Vith these objects in mind I have illustrated the preferred form of my invention in y the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents-a top plan'view of a vehicle train, only two axles being shown and certain portions being'broken away, Figure V2 a side elevation of theI device shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 a side elevation of a coinplete train of vehiclesequipped with a power plant, Figure 4 a sectional detailv view disclosing means for setting the rearmost axle in its position relative to the next preceding axle and Figure 5 an enlarged cross section along line 5 5 of Figure 1. While only the preferred'form is shown in these illustrations it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention. f f

As stated before the coupling (1) used` to connect each two axles (2) and-(3) has been described in a copending application and it may suflice to briefly stateA that it comprises two frames (4) and v(6) secured to their re spective axles either rigidly as shown at (7, Figure 3) or pivotally as shown at (8) and extending toward each othery so as to meet somewhere near the center between the two axles 4to be joined there pivotally, either by a vertical pin orpreferablyby means of a ball and socket joint (9) such as is shown in detail lin Figure 5, in which the frame (6) carries the socket (11) while the frame (4) is operatively connected with the bally (12). It has been set'ifnrth n the. application referred to, fthat by means of this construction the wheels of the rear axle will be caused to substantially trail inthe tracks of the wheels of each front axle even though. a large plurality of axles be used in onevehicle train. Itwill be readilyfseen from Figure 3 that the alternating rigid and pivotal connections (7) and (8) between the frames and the axles.v are used in orderto allow each axle to rise or fall following the iregularities in the road without affecting neighboring axles, while the ball joints between the frames are provided to allow of freedom of play of 'each individual wheel.

A' novel idea -is introduced into this connection in the locking means for the rearmost axle. It will be remembered that all the axles are connected together in such a manner that each preceding axle steers or gives direction to the following axle. This connection worksin both directions, that is,

rearwardly as well as forwardly. The for-l 'l l vehicle.

cate acted on on one sideby the. spring (18):

and on the other side: by any suitable: pres'- sure that may be controlled from the drivers seat, such as compressed air admitted thro-ugh the pipe (19). The piston has secured thereto a pin (21) which extends outsidey the cylinder and engages the slide When pressure is applied through the pipe (19)A the pin is forced through the slide (13) into engagement with one of a plurality of perforations (22), Van varc-shaped member (23) being symmetrical inY shape to the member (1.4) and secured thereto-y by plurality of spacing members (25)r `)Vhen the driver desires to reverse the train of vehicles in aV desired direction, he only needs to mianiipnlate the same until the rearniost axle occupies a position relative to the axle in front of the same adapted to guide the rear axle intothe desired direction.. The. driver will then lock the rear axle in this position by the locking means previously described, whereupon he ltt Vactuated from the power plant 25 may proceed to move the train off vehicles.

backward irrespective of. the relative po-sitions of the other axles, sincey due to the operation of the couplings the wheels of each axle will trail the wheelsv of Veach preceding axle,l irrespective of their starting position.

To impart'rotary motion to the` different' axles I use a single longitudinal shaft (24) in th'e fro-nt portion of the vehicle the power plant being supported on the frame 25, the front end of which rests on theV springs '25 supported o-n the front axle while the rear end of the frame is hinged to the second axleas'. shown at 8. The shaft compri-ses a plnrality of units which mayy be. classed into driving units (26) and connecting units (27 )1. The driving units (26) are carried in a heusing' (28) supported rigidly relative to the axle and are provide-d with suitable gears, such as worm gears or bevel gears Lfor driving the axle. The connecting units (27) are secured between each twe driving units (26) by means of the universal joints described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 525,312., which are especially designed for this purpose and particularly effective due to'y the fact that they can, be accurately adjusted so as to keep the'shafts in perfect alinement, and due to the.. further fact that their design includes means for perfect lubrication. The connecting units are provided with suitable means allowing of longitudinal expansion and contraction as shown at (31) in Figure 3. The two rear axles 2 and 3 serve as support for the load carrying body 30a l I preferably separate. the load snppo-rting" units of my vehicle train. from'.` the power plant supporting units so-'that the latter-will" not be subjected to any stress caused bythe load. The power plant,l as: is; indicated in Figure 3, is; carried directly kover the front axle while the frame holding the plant receives additional support from the second axle towhi'ch it isfpfivotally connected as shown at (8),. and imparts direction to this latter axle when in motion.

I claim:

l. In a vehicle, the combinaticn of a steering axle, a plurality of 'trailing axles, mean-skv for connecting the same se] that all the axles follow substantially the means for locking the rearrnost axle:4 in cer tain angular positions relative to\ the nearest axle, whereby all the axles: are causedto substantially follow the path eff the rearmost axle on a reverslng motion. i

same path and 2. In vehicle, the combinationof a steer# ing axle, a plurality of training' axles-,means for connecting' the saine so='that vall the axles follow substantially the:V same path and means for lockingY the rearmost axle in certain angtrl'ar: positions' relative to the nearest axle, whereby the axles are caused to suib stantially follow thev piathof the rearmost axle on a reversing inoticn, said locking means beingadapted to be actuated from the driversseat. v

3;, In a vehicle the combination of a front. or 'steering axle, asecofnd axle, a` frame supe' ported by theifirst and second axles and pivoted to the second axle ona line running parallel to the latter axle, a third axle, a coupling connecting the second and thire. axles and arranged to cause the third axle to follow the track Vof the second axle when the vehicle is in motion,` a power plant sup:- ported on the -first frame above the fro-nt axle, means allowing the; second and third axles to: be driven from tlie powerl plant and a loadcarrying body supported on ,the twe power driven axles, the coupling being inde pendent of thel lea'd carryingbody'.Y

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